Insights for the modern recruiter on

what talent wants around the world

Introduction
The typical career path is more fluid than ever. Today, talent is staying more
connected, informed and open to new opportunities throughout their professional lives.

In this report, step inside the mind of talent at every stage of the job search journey.
Armed with this data, you will have a blueprint for successfully attracting, engaging,
and hiring within this modern and dynamic talent pool.
About this report
This is our second annual Talent Trends report, completely redesigned to
explore how talent approaches the job search journey from start to hired.

We surveyed over 20,000 professionals in 29 countries to better understand

their attitudes and behaviors at each stage of the job search.

Do you think you know what talent wants? Read on to find out.
Index

05 Executive summary 30 Conclusion

06 The talent landscape in 2015 31 Methodology

11 Talent behavior 34 About the authors

15 The first conversation

19 The interview experience

25 The final decision

Executive summary
Three key insights you should know to attract and recruit great talent around the world

70% of the global workforce Talent goes online and relies on personal Compensation matters most
is passive talent networks to discover new opportunities when making a final job decision

60%
56%
50% 49%

30%
33%
29%

70%

Online job Social Word of Better Better Better

boards professional mouth compensation professional work/life
Passive Active networks packages development balance

How would you classify your What channels do you use to look for What are the three most important factors that would
current job search status? new job opportunities? entice you to accept a new job opportunity?
2015 Talent Trends 5
The talent landscape in 2015
Active talent is on the rise around the world
Professionals around the world are more actively exploring job opportunities than they were last year. According to
Bersin by Deloitte1, job seeker confidence and employee mobility tends to rise as the global economy improves.

Global in 2014 Global in 2015

Active vs. Passive Active vs. Passive

Passive candidates may be:!

!
25% Reaching out to personal network!
30% Open to talking to a recruiter!
Completely satisfied; Dont want to move!

Active candidates may be:!

!
70% Actively looking!
75% Casually looking a few times a week

How would you classify your current job search status?

Passive Active Passive Active

1. Bersin by Deloitte, Where did all the employees go? (2009), http://dupress.com/articles/where-did-our-employees-go/ 2015 Talent Trends 7
Active talent is not always unhappy talent
Passive talent tends to be highly satisfied, whereas active talent feels a healthy
mix of satisfied and dissatisfied in their current role.

To successfully recruit satisfied talent, leverage the data in this report to build an
unforgettable candidate experience and strengthen your relationships with talent.

Job satisfaction for passive talent Job satisfaction for active talent

76%

48%

30%
20%
11% 12%

Dissatisfied Neither satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Neither satisfied Satisfied

nor dissatisfied nor dissatisfied

2015 Talent Trends 8

Overall how satisfied are you with your current role?
Passive talent around the world
60-69%
49-59% this map is 70-79% 80-89%
If you hire in multiple countries, for you. The more passive a countrys talent pool, the more
you must catch talents attention with your talent brand and proactively reach out with new opportunities.

75% 81%
72% 66%
81%

82% 75%
76%
75%

69%
69%
74%
78%
80%
52%
72% 49% 55% 78%
Percentage of
passive talent
65%

66%
49 59%
77% 60 69%
70 79%
69% 80 89%
64% 61%

2015 Talent Trends 9

72%
Countries with unusual levels of active and passive talent
Globally, only 30% of professionals are actively job searching. However, this varies
significantly between countries due to economic and cultural factors.

Whether youre recruiting active or passive talent, setting clear hiring priorities and
encouraging your employees to share company opportunities with their personal networks
will help you stand out as an organization and find the talent you need.

0% 30% Global average 60%

20% Russia
20% Japan 51% Saudi Arabia

19% Netherlands 48% UAE

19% Taiwan
Low outliers 45% India
High outliers 18% Belgium 2015 Talent Trends 10
How would you classify your current job search status?
Talent behavior
Professionals are always improving
their professional brands
Both active and passive talent spend time on activities to strengthen their
professional brand and increase their future career opportunities.

Most common professional development activities in the last month

Almost 4 in 10 professionals are

tip researching new jobs and networking
Researched new job opportunities 39%
every month, even though only 30%
Updated rsum 39% are actively looking for a new job.

Networked for professional purposes 38% As talent is increasingly keeping one

eye open for their next opportunity,
Updated professional profile on LinkedIn 35%
make sure your organization is
Explored professional development activities 33% consistently building a positive
(like learning a new skill) reputation as a great place to work.

tip

Which of the following activities have you participated in during the past month? 2015 Talent Trends 12
 Talent turns online and to their personal
networks to discover new opportunities

When talent wants to find new job opportunities, they turn to online job
boards, social professional networks, and their personal connections.

The most popular channels where talent looks for opportunities

50% of professionals go first to friends

Online job boards
Online Job Boards
60% tip
and colleagues to discover new
Social professional networks
Social Professional Networks
56% opportunities. Do you know what
people are saying about your
Word of Word
mouthof Mouth
50%
organization as a place to work?
CompanyCompany
websites
Websites
40%
Encourage your employees to share
Professional groupsgroups
Professional & associations 23% why they love working at your
Search Engines
Search engines 23% organization to increase your
companys reach.
Online Advertising
Online advertising 20%

2015 Talent Trends 13

What channels do you use to look for new job opportunities?
Top countries where talent uses social professional
networks to discover new opportunities
In our increasingly social world, social professional networks are among the top ways professionals discover new
opportunities. Below are the countries where talent most leverages social professional networks to find jobs.

70%
68%
63% 63% 63% 63% 63%
61%
59% 58% 58%

Spain Chile Singapore Brazil Italy UAE France U.S. and Malaysia Netherlands Mexico
Canada

What channels do you use to look for new job opportunities? 2015 Talent Trends 14
The first conversation
When in doubt, reach out
The next time you hesitate to reach out to talent, remember that a vast majority
of professionals, both active and passive, are interested in hearing from you.

Talents interest in hearing from a corporate recruiter

46% 27% 20% 5%

Extremely and very interested Somewhat interested Not very or not at all interested Dont know

Talents interest in hearing from a staffing recruiter

43% 30% 21% 7%

Extremely and very interested Somewhat interested Not very or not at all interested Dont know

How interested are you in talking to an in-house corporate recruiter or a headhunter for a search and staffing firm about a new job opportunity?

2015 Talent Trends 16

First contact: What talent wants to know
When you first reach out to professionals about a new job opportunity, be sure
to explain the job role responsibilities and why they are a good fit for the role.

What talent around the world wants to know first

Role responsibilities 69% Using InMail? Most people read

tip their InMails on the go, so grab
Why youre reaching out 64% their attention by only including
information they care about in
Estimated salary range 52% your first InMail.

Company culture 45% Knowing what is essential (and

what isnt) will earn you a higher
Role seniority 33% InMail acceptance rate and
talents attention.
Company mission 33%

Regardless of your level of interest, what are the most important pieces of informa8on that an in-house corporate
recruiter or a headhunter for a search and stang rm should include in their ini8al message to you?
2015 Talent Trends 17
Three essential InMail tips from LinkedIn

1 2 3

Reach out to Dont mix work The closer it is to the

followers first
Your LinkedIn Career Page
followers are 81% more likely to
respond to your InMails than
those who do not follow you.
and the weekend
InMail messages sent on
Saturdays are 16% less likely to
get a response than those sent
during the work week.
weekend, the less likely
talent is to respond
InMails sent on Thursday between
9 and 10 AM are 12% more likely
to get a response than those sent
on Friday during the same time.

2015 Talent Trends 18

The interview experience
The interview is a pivotal point
in the job search journey
No matter how well you pitch a job, nearly all professionals are still
unsure about the job and company when they show up for the interview.

Getting the interview right will win you top talent, while getting it wrong
can hurt your recruiting efforts.

83% 87% 53%

of talent say a negative of talent say a positive of talent say the most
interview experience can interview experience can important interview is with
change their mind about a role change their mind about a role their prospective manager
ortipcompany they once liked or company they once doubted

2015 Talent Trends 20

The interview experience has a major impact
on talents final decision to join your company
Talent speaks loud and clearthe interview experience is a major factor in whether talent joins
your organization or continues along their job search journey.

Importance of interview in talents final decision

77% 20% 4%

Extremely and very important Somewhat important Not important

If you are losing candidates after the interview phase, then pull your team, hiring
tip
tip managers, and partners in HR together to brainstorm how to work together to create a
positive and memorable experience for every candidate you interview.

How important is the overall interview experience in your decision to join a company? 2015 Talent Trends 21
 What matters most to global talent
during the interview experience
The war for talent is on. To stand out as an organization and attract great talent,
make sure you deliver what matters most during the interview experience.

Who talent wants to meet on interview day What matters to talent on interview day

Getting all your questions about the business

The prospective manager
Prospective Manager 53% Getting business questions answered
and product answered
49%

An executive
An Executive 17% Receiving interview follow-up
Post interview follow-up 47%

A prospective team
A Prospective member
Team Member 14% HavingHaving a conversation with
conversations the leadership
with leadershipteam 46%

A recruiter
Recruiter 8% Experiencing first-hand the company's culture
Experiencing company culture 41%

Dont
Dontknow
know 4% Experience on site
Having a positive experience on site 35%

Which one person is most important in determining Outside of your interview with your prospective manager and/or team, which
whether you have a positive interview experience? of the following are most important to you having a positive experience? 2015 Talent Trends 22
Stay connected after interview day
Dont go quiet after interview day has passed. Candidates want to hear from you
after the interview and receive updates about the progress of their application.

When talent around the world wants to hear from you

77%
of professionals want to
Whenever you have an update 59%
59% hear good news by phone

Only to extend an offer 42%

42%

65%
of professionals want to
hear bad news by email
Periodically, even without news 36%
36%

Only to deny an offer 36%

36%
Good news is always most impactful
tip
when delivered in person. Make your
candidates feel special by extending
job offers over the phone.

After the interview, when do you want to hear from the recruiter or headhunter about the role? 2015 Talent Trends 23
Exceed talents expectations
The organizations that win top talent know how to surprise and delight candidates
throughout the job search journeyfrom the first InMail through the offer letter.

Offering interview feedback to talent is a simple way to leave a positive impression

and show you care about their success, whether or not they become your next hire.

94% 41% 4x
of talent wants to receive of talent has received Talent is 4x more likely to consider your
interview feedback interview feedback before company for a future opportunity when
you offer them constructive feedback

Look out for even more opportunities to give talent a valuable experience with
tip your organization. The people you do not hire have just as much influence on
your companys reputation and talent brand as those who do join your team.

2015 Talent Trends 24

The final decision
 Convert more candidates into hires
When a candidate is considering a job offer, there are a few factors that matter a lot and others
that hardly matter at all. Increase your candidate acceptance rate by knowing the difference.

Top factors for talent around the world when considering a job offer

Compensation
Better compensation package 49%
Better professional
Better work
development
Better professional

/ life
Better
development

balance
work/life balance 29%
33%
94% of talent says being
contacted by their
prospective manager
More challenging work
More challenging work 25% can make them accept a
More opportunities for advancement
More opportunities for advancement 24% job offer faster
BetterBetter
fit for my
fit for myskills
skill set 23%
Better place toplace
Better work (culture)
to work (culture) 21%
A more influential
A more influential role in company
role within

Increased
the company

job security
Increased job security
14%
13%
89% of talent says being
contacted by their
recruiter can make them
Better location
Better office location 13% accept a job offer faster

Which of the following are the three most important factors that would entice you to accept a new job opportunity? 2015 Talent Trends 26
Its not always about the money
Compensation is the top factor in whether talent around the world accepts a
new opportunitybut not all countries believe its the most important factor.

Other factors that matter more than compensation

Work / life balance Professional development Opportunities for advancement

United Kingdom Finland Norway Sweden

(43%) (49%) (43%) (45%)

Russia Denmark
(42%) (37%)

Which of the following are the three most important factors that would entice you to accept a new job opportunity?
2015 Talent Trends 27
Negotiating salary:
Talent trusts their instincts
Most professionals rely on their own judgment to determine a fair salary, so be
open and honest about why youre offering a certain compensation package.

How talent around the world benchmarks salary Set realistic expectations and answer
tip
questions honestly about a jobs
responsibilities and workload so
Depends on perceived value of role 60%
candidates can determine a salary
range that feels fair to them.
Set percentage change from last role 49%

The goal of any salary negotiation is to

Talking with colleagues 40%
offer a fair price, maintain an open
30%
mind, and above all, make the
Online research
candidate feel valued.

Government statistics 12%

How do you benchmark and determine what is a fair salary? 2015 Talent Trends 28
What frustrates talent most about
the job search journey?

Recruiting is like getting married with only meeting your future spouse a few times. I'd
like to see multi-day hands-on working interviews to really see whether there's a good fit.

Empty promises, buzzword-based recruiting, and calling me after 6 PM.

It's tough to not receive feedback after an interview. How else will I know how to improve?

Too much mystery. More upfront information could save both parties a lot of time.

It's frustrating to not feel heard. I'd like recruiters to understand my unique skills and what
I'm looking for in my new role before pitching me a job.

The process takes so long! Speeding up the application process would make me a lot happier.

2015 Talent Trends 29
Conclusion
We hope this report has given you new insights into what talent wants throughout the job
search journey, and provided you with a few ideas to incorporate into your recruiting approach.

Here are five ways to start using the data in this report today:

1. Prioritize the channels where talent goes to discover opportunities (page 13)
2. Include the most impactful information in your initial message to candidates (page 17)
3. Partner with hiring mangers and leadership to create a great interview experience (page 22)
4. Keep in touch consistently with candidates after the interview experience (page 23)
5. Focus on what factors matter most to talent when considering a job offer (page 26)

The best way for you to discover what talent wants is simply to ask. Were confident that doing
so will yield stronger candidate relationships and ultimately better, happier hires.

2015 Talent Trends 30

Methodology
LinkedIns Talent Trends survey was conducted in February and
March of 2015.

Survey respondents were asked about their attitudes and opinions

surrounding a variety of aspects associated with job seeking.

LinkedIn collected survey responses for 20,931 LinkedIn members

around the world who are currently employed in some capacity. The
overall theoretical margin of error for this survey +/- 0.68% at the 95%
confidence interval and is higher for sub-groups.

2015 Talent Trends 31

 Nordics: 1749

Russia: 745

UK: 738
Belgium: 618
Canada: 717 Netherlands: 678
Germany: 739
France: 679 China: 949
Italy: 691
USA: 909 Spain: 665 Turkey: 711
Japan: 675

UAE: 593
Hong Kong: 290
Mexico: 708
Saudi Arabia: 760 Taiwan: 366
India: 906
Malaysia: 631

Singapore: 542 Indonesia: 771

New Zealand: 667

Brazil: 663

South Africa: 766 Australia: 726

Chile: 546

2015 Talent Trends 32

About LinkedIn Talent Solutions
LinkedIn Talent Solutions offers a full range of recruiting solutions to help organizations of all sizes
find, engage, and attract the best talent.

Founded in 2003, LinkedIn connects the worlds professionals to make them more productive and
successful. With over 300 million members worldwide, including executives from every Fortune
500 company, LinkedIn is the worlds largest professional network.

Subscribe to our blog See our videos on YouTube

Talent.linkedin.com/blog youtube.com/user/LITalentSolutions

Check out our SlideShare Get additional insights

slideshare.net/linkedin-talent-solutions talent.linkedin.com

Follow us on Twitter Connect with us on LinkedIn

@hireonlinkedin https://www.linkedin.com/company/linkedin-talent-solutions

2015 Talent Trends 33

 About the authors

Sam Gager Alyssa Sittig Ryan Batty

Senior Research Consultant Associate Content Manager Director of Marketing
Linkedin Talent Solutions Linkedin Talent Solutions Linkedin Talent Solutions

Sam is an experienced Alyssa is a data-driven content Ryan believes in the power of

researcher on LinkedIns Insights
team. He and his colleagues
uncover data-driven insights from
LinkedIns proprietary data.
marketer, passionate about
using LinkedIn data to make
talent professionals more
productive and successful.
great storytelling to convey
meaningful ideas. He leads a
team of marketers capturing and
sharing insights, ideas and stories
to serve the talent industry.

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2015 Talent Trends 34